Shep Messing

Shep Messing was a goalkeeper for Harvard, who started his college career at New York University. He was twice a second-team All-American at Harvard. After college Messing played for seven seasons in the North American Soccer League (NASL) and six in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). Messing was a colorful character.

He started in the NASL with the New York Cosmos, but after posing nude in December 1974 in Playgirl magazine, he was cut by the Cosmos, who cited a morals clause. After being cut by the Cosmos, he played for the Boston Minutemen, and then returned to the Cosmos, before moving to the Oakland Stompers. He then finished his NASL career with the Rochester Lancers.

In the MISL Messing played goal for the New York Arrows for six years, making the All-Star team in 1979-81, and being named league MVP in 1979. He was also briefly an interim coach for the Arrows. Messing later co-owned the New York Express in the MISL in 1986-87, but the team folded quickly. He spent over 15 years as a color commentator on US telecasts of professional soccer. Messing is a member of the New York Sports Hall of Fame, the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame.